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M E N S A O F E A S T E R N N O R T H C A R O L I N A It’s been fun, but now it’s time to pass the torch. Organizations like Mensa are living things that grow best when they are nurtured. Potential leaders need to be identified early and given a real voice in running Mensa. They bring new ideas and energy to an organization that There are three candidates running for the position of RVC5. They all bring different qualities to the table that can benefit Mensa. Each sincerely believes in making Mensa enjoy-able for its members and that is the most important issue to me. Another thing I feel is necessary is the ability to work well with a group. If an officer doesn’t work well with others, personal issues can substantially reduce his or her effectiveness. All three candidates are active in their local groups and have proven they can be effective. Mensa is a social organization and the internecine fighting in the past that characterized many meetings at the local and national levels made serving as an officer a trial rather than a pleasure. Mensa is not about control, but about fellowship. (Kumbaya, kumbaya …) Anyway, the past two years at the national level have been refreshing. AMC meetings were conducted professionally. The board members disagreed on many issues, but conducted themselves civilly and didn’t resort to personal attacks. Posturing was minimized and this new attitude ultimately benefited the members. We truly are a kinder, gentler Mensa. I met hundreds of members in person and online and learned from them all. In many cases the people I was warned about were the most helpful. Far from being troublemakers they were instead members that were concerned about the direction Mensa was taking. There were some important issues that I might have missed or misunderstood without their input. (That doesn’t mean I necessarily agreed with them, but it helped me clarify the issues in my own mind.) This was so important that I want to encourage everyone to continue communicating your concerns to the new RVC. (Gently at first, there’s a lot to learn in a very short time.) Thank you for having given me the opportunity to serve you. I am very proud of the region, our local groups, and our members. You do fantastic things with very limited resources. Join me as I kick back in hospitality at the Birmingham AG and I’ll buy you a (free) beer. It will be a great party celebrating Mensa in the Southeast and you won’t want to miss it. and should go, do check out the social at Jan’s —- P 4 Editor’s note: This RVC column for June came on May 17 when Mblem was finished and therefore only made it to the July issue, one month late as usual. The following is the cover let- ter. Mike has been a good RVC for us. I have always used his column, unedited, whenever he sent to us. We say good bye but let’s stay in touch. --- Editor This is my last column as RVC. I've attached it. (Word 2007) and pasted it be- low. As always feel free to use it, edit it or lose it, whichever fits your situation. Thank you all for serving Mensa. Editor really is the hardest job in Mensa and think or believe that it has more cola taste, they just say that it does. Maybe Pepsi just pulled a few hundred people in off the street, and offered each person $5 to say, “Diet Pepsi has more cola taste than Diet Coke”. Then 56% took them up on Well, I was all set to write my brilliant exposé about the the offer, and the statement made in the commercial is techni- necessity to modern life of perfectly straight lines, and perfect cally true, without anyone ever even tasting the drink. It is circles, and how difficult it is make them, but, as Burns said, more likely that they actually did taste both drinks, but what “best laid plans” etc. You see, what happened is that I heard were the options? Maybe they were asked to choose one of an ad on the radio that just set me off. It was a Diet Pepsi ad, two statements that more accurately described their tasting which proclaimed that “Studies show that 56% of people say experience: 1) Diet Pepsi has more cola taste, or 2) Diet Coke that Diet Pepsi has ‘more cola taste’ than Diet Coke.” What has more cola taste, and I kill puppies because I want the ter- an astoundingly uninformative statement. There are problems with nearly every word in this claim. And just what is ‘cola taste’? Was it defined for the par- Studies. What kind of studies? Are there established criteria ticipants, was it presented to them for them to interpret, or for rigorously conducted soft drink studies? And how many were they just asked to say what they thought about the two studies were there? Performed under what conditions? What drinks in comparison, and 56% just happened to say the same were the controls? Maybe Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi taste thing? I couldn’t describe what real cola taste is, and I proba- different depending on ambient temperature, humidity, light- bly wouldn’t be able to identify it if I were to taste it. Also, ing (artificial or natural), or time of day. Men and women why is the magic phrase, ‘cola taste’ and not ‘tastes better’? perceive tastes differently, as do younger and older people. This makes me suspicious as to why they didn’t report 56% Ethnicity may matter too. If you conduct a pre-study to de- of people saying that Diet Pepsi ‘tastes better’ than Diet termine what group(s) have the response you’re looking for, Coke. If they’re not reporting the simplest result, I have to then the real study can be loaded up with them. Legitimacy think there’s a reason. Maybe ‘cola taste’ does not equal of the study is a real issue, with no description of the study ‘good taste’. I can imagine saying that one drink tastes more given. If a car company makes claims for performance or ‘cola-y’ and another actually tastes better. You could also safety over a competing model, they have to reference the ask which drink tastes sweeter, and to a certain extent, the studies. Herbal supplements have to state that any claims sweeter tastes better (that’s how Pepsi came out ahead in the they make about the benefits of the supplement have not been original Pepsi challenge in the 80s, it is marginally sweeter), evaluated by the FDA. Drug companies have to put all that but a point will be reached that sweeter becomes disgusting. tiny print or fast talking about side effects into their ads. But Another example, I like spicy food, and usually, if something a company that sells an addictive psychoactive product used is hotter, I’d like it more, but there are plenty of circum- on a daily basis by more people than take Viagra, Vioxx, and stances where I could honestly describe one dish as hotter, Avandia combined, can make any claim they want, with no references. (I checked the website too, they use the ‘more Then of course, there’s the question about whether any of cola taste’ tagline, but give no background, either). this even matters. I’m not even sure why Coke and Pepsi 56% What was the study size? 50 people? 100? 1000? even bother advertising themselves anymore. Everyone has The null hypothesis, that each person’s choice is a random tried them, and already knows what they taste like. Except event (like a coin toss), says that with a sample size of 50, the for one brief experiment in the 80s (New Coke), the flavor odds of 56% heads (Diet Pepsi) is 7.8%, with 100 people, the formulas for Coke and Pepsi have not substantially changed odds are 4.0%. That’s getting into the range of significance, in the last 100 years. What is supposed to be accomplished but not quite good enough for science. I’m assuming that the by telling us that one has more ‘cola taste’ this late in the Pepsi Corp would get more than 100 people though. They game? No one really needs TV or radio ads to find out about also don’t say how the other 44% felt. Did they think that Coke or Pepsi, as any store you walk into has them, and the Diet Coke had more ‘cola taste’ than Diet Pepsi? Did some vending machines and logos are everywhere. If you want to think that they had the same amount of taste, or did some say drink Coke or Pepsi, the ads probably won’t change your some other response, like, “Why are you wasting my time mind. Whichever one is cheaper in the grocery store is with this, these both taste like battery acid plus aspartame.” probably going to sell more. The only legitimate reason I And what’s the error rate? A Gallup poll, which statistically would grant Coke and Pepsi to advertise is when they have samples to extrapolate the opinions of Americans at large new products they need to get into the public consciousness, gives a +/- error rate. I just made an assumption there, too. I or for whatever summer contest promotion they’re running said Americans. Maybe it wasn’t Americans who were this time. Personally, the strongest influence on me for soda polled, maybe it was an aboriginal tribe, the members of purchases is the promotional cans or bottles with university which have never tasted sodas, and the testers didn’t even get logos or cartoon characters, or the potential to win stuff. “Say”? They “say” it has more cola taste. They don’t backlash against the old order, Pepsi was irrevocably linked That being said, I don’t like either Coke or Pepsi, and not to the hated regimes, and Coke became more popular than even because of sleazy corporate practices (which they both Pepsi ever was, as the new symbol of the happy new order. have). Neither of them tastes very good to me. The best rea- And now, the trivia questions: son I would have for buying Coke would be to clean off the battery terminals for my car. The closest I came to drinking 1 What infamous ingredient used to be in Coca-Cola, and Coke in the last several years was when I thought I had a kid- ney stone, and I’d been told that drinking a warm six-pack of 2 What ingredient used to be in 7-UP, and was the reason for Coke would flush the stone right out. I wound up not drink- ing the Coke. The payoff – possible relief from pain, was not 3 Why did the French government ban Coca-Cola, for a worth the risk – the results of drinking six warm Cokes. An interesting historical note about Coke and Pepsi. In 4 When public outcry convinced Coca-Cola to change back the good old days of communism, Pepsi was very popular in to “Classic Coke” from “New Coke”, they didn’t com- eastern block countries, as Coke was viewed as the epitome of evil western capitalism. A Soviet general who worked 5 Which state is famous (among label reading geeks) for its with Eisenhower in the closing days of WWII was introduced high rebate on cans and bottles, and what is the rebate? to Coke, and got hooked. Eisenhower called some friends, 6 Who deliberately misinterpreted my comments on games and the Coca-Cola company bottled Coca-Cola in an unla- from Mind Games (last month’s Mblem), in public, to beled, communist friendly bottle with red stars on it. After the discredit me, and generally cause trouble? of mine - a fairly senior official - told me that there was competition among his colleagues to sit near Dick at official did productions both in New York at at luncheons and dinners. He lived up to Dick Aldrich had an unusual career, DC. In the Navy, he became friends or maybe careers (plural). He was from with a fellow officer, another Boston ing US interests, because I don't believe one of those aristocratic Boston families aristocrat, John Davis Lodge, who had - you know, "Here's to dear old Boston, moved to Connecticut because Massa- home of the bean and the cod, where the chusetts was not big enough for his am- invitation to attend a luncheon, dinner Winthrops speak only to Cabots, and the Cabots speak only to God." Well, Lodge was elected to Congress in 1946, hard to get Spanish officials to persuade graduated from Harvard (of course!) in and was later Governor of Connecticut. Franco to open Spain up, socially and 1925, and spent a couple of years in the After he completed that term, he was him to the Embassy in Madrid as Minis- pany, especially when he would pri- vately tell a few of us little stories in- cess at first, but finally found success folded in with the Embassy's Economic the Navy. with "Petticoat Fever". In 1940, he mar- and Commercial Section. And that is the end of 1956, when I was transferred stayed on in Madrid until 1962, and from the Embassy in London to Madrid. then served as US AID Director in Mo- rocco until 1965. After I left Madrid, I merstein, and - guess what? - eventually diate boss, because there were a couple saw Dick only once more - when he (after the War) by her then husband, of other layers between us - but still my came back to the US and resumed - to Aldrich. He did a revival production of boss. He had no experience in economic some degree - his theatre career. I saw "Pygmalion" for her, and produced oth- matters, nor in formal diplomacy. But ers, including "Caesar and Cleopatra". he was a good administrator and a good one of his works in the late '60s. At the every day, and eventually came to speak duction of his biography of Gertrude during World War II (1941-45), serving it fairly well. He was a rather imposing Lawrence, called "Star!". I think of overseas as a Commander. After the figure, and Spanish officials thought of Dick as a different kind of "star". He War, he returned to the stage, where he him as "one of them". A Spanish friend died in 1986, at the age of 83. An immersive study in the architectural, culinary, sociological, and psychological Just finished reading last month's issue of Mblem about how frustrating it is to be editor and not have any submis- sions from the members to fill the Mblem with. Well, I thought, YOURS TRULY puts in her two cents with the in- formation concerning activities here in the Triad area. So, wouldn't you know? I am sitting here at the key- board, with nary a word to say! Maybe I've caught a bug - the writer's-block bug? Or maybe, the anti-contribution -- Saturday July 28th social at Jan's house -- bug? I'll keep keying, and maybe something will strike. Jail sucked, but it doesn't suck remotely as badly as I ex- pected. In many ways, it was disturbingly cushy. That said, Attendance at events in the Triad are holding steady. Of it was absolutely fascinating and full of very unexpected course, the most avidly attended is Games Night. So many observations of human behavior. I have a lot to share. games and only the hours of one night in which to play them! Last month's meeting at Mandy McGehee (Thank you, Mandy!) brought out some of the Durham folks. Even Robert Jones, from Charlotte, came, rather late; but he had Border collie, coffee, fruit juice provided. I even bought a attended an astronomy club meeting and, knowing that we couple of lawn chairs! Bring everything else you might played till the wee hours of the night, he decided to come. want. Leave the angry and argumentative types at home. Yep, he wasn't disappointed. It was 4:30am when we left our I'm in . (personal data withheld on line) obliging, yet willing, hostess. (Honest, I thought it was only 2am!) A group of eight had played Mexican Train domi-noes, while three played Scrabble. Then, at another table, Trivial Pursuit pursuers held forth loud enough so that the Dominoes players answered the questions - in whispers, of course. Then came that loud Perudo. Lying and bluffing our Hooter's in Burlington, Greensboro, or Winston-Salem, and way through the guessing of numbers.surely the shaking of let's not forget, entries for the newsletter! We await the re- the dice in the cups kept the neighbors awake! Three of us sults of the national election to meet our new RVC and con- settled for a quiet game of Upwords out on the porch - these vince him that we need Grouphood at the AMC meeting in While most were getting ready to leave, four of us joined in a game of Aw, Hell! Somehow my imagination conjured Well, I guess I've filled up a page, or so, for Mblem. For up scenes of the Wild West, with John Wayne and James someone as creative, devoted and hard-working as our editor, Garner drawling, "Aw, hell" across some bar room floor. there's got to be a solution. Let's see, we could hear from the diners at the "Let's Discuss" group what happens at their Honestly, games night has become an arsenal of educa- meeting. Could someone do a write-up for the brunches? tion for me. Can't imagine why more members don't request We Mensans come to our meetings, then go about our ways, SEVERAL games nights a month. (The calendar editor will and tend not to share. How about it? Time to submit! So, you see, members, I started typing and the words just It took two words for the wheels of change to go into mo- keep piling up. I haven't even touched upon the conversation tion. One of our new members joined us for Wednesday at Wednesday lunches. You'll have to come to find out what Lunch, jokingly referred to the location as "Cholesterol Al- ley", and the rest of us couldn't agree with him more! So it was decided that change was in order. Upon conferring with Which brings me to McAlister's Deli (Saturday Supper). the contacts of the other locations, it was determined to place We seem to broach the subject of Triad Mensa's Future. Greensboro lunches at the Cafeteria every Wednesday. The Right now we're treading water. We're in the 90-day- choice of food could be healthier (depending on one's Bylaws-approval time period. It's the rule. But, that doesn't choice). It would be less noisy. Tables could be more easily keep us from making plans. Plans that will include participa- pushed together. For July, thus, we would begin meeting tion of as many as volunteer their time. Just ask! Among the consistently at Friendly Center K & W Cafeteria. plans discussed were a Kick-Off celebration, a New Members Comments pro and con would be considered. Email me welcome social, a Casino-night, pot-luck suppers, MahJong instruction evenings, a Swigger's SIG getting together at are welcome to bring pool toys such as beach balls, floats … She has a pool-net and we can play water valley ball if people are interested. Or, feel free to lounge around in the sun or in the shade. Family members and friends are welcome. There Quite a few years ago, our member Fran Greenstein Please bring something to grill for yourself and opened her pool to us so we had a pool party and even a gen- please bring a side dish to share. BYOB. Since the hostess eral membership meeting where we introduced newly elected still has to provide set-up, kitty is as usual ($3). officers, discussed items brought up by members, and even RSVP preferred. There are two puppies. So, be pre- recruited a calendar editor and some other volunteers. Since pared if you are allergic (and be careful not to step on them). then, Fran has been inviting us MENC members along with other of her friends to her pool once a year in July. Since it is a party for her friends who may or may not be Mensa mem- bers, please do not go around and ask people if they are Men- Time: Pool opens at 3:00 PM. Grill Dinner: 5 or 6. sans or Mensa officers. Some non-M guests might not appre- Directions: See back of calendar page (of printed In the mean while, enjoy a day’s relaxation in the water. The pool will be open at 3 PM. Grill and dinner can be about 5 or 6, depending on what the guests prefer. You obvious thing to do in volunteering is MENC can buy a copy for you. (It is hard to “organize” some thing but it is only a fancy word. Say, you want plates so you don’t have to start rant at a certain time and you would events, title page, contact sheet, names, ranks but no serial numbers like to have some company. So, would meet you there. That was, in fussing about lately, we have seen camping trip, all of us participated in Mblem, it has become one of the MENC? Through Mensa, we got to games night in Wilmington, one in we still cannot cover it all. If you like few months she found out it was not once a month or just one time only. me. If you, someone who wants to The volunteer I would like to see test the water for a few months, de- most is someone who would want to cide not to continue, you can always try a hand at editing this newsletter, pass it back to me. Encourage a friend, or a member of your family, to take the Mensa Admission Test. (We expect to schedule a In April, I tried to discuss health and exercise. The point session in Apex and Greensboro in July.) During the was that most of the time when we hear exercise mentioned it is month of July, AML is offering a TWO-for-the-price- usually either nagging or someone tries to sell you some “new” machine or program. So, I suggested to you something you can of-ONE test processing fee ($40). The following an- do any time without having to spend a single cent. To refresh nouncement has been sent to proctors, but applies to your memory, this was how my suggestion started, quote: “For the next two week after you read this article, do this. Hold your left hand in front of your chest palm towards you. Place your right hand inside of the left hand and push it out. Try to keep Taking the Mensa test can be a little scary for prospec- your left hand in place, i.e., exert strong resistance to the push tive members. Pre-test jitters - plus walking into the by the right hand. …” and went on to suggest what you do for the next four weeks. I did intend to continue next month but un- fortunately, or, rather, fortunately, there were many contributions During the month of July, we're going to make things from the members. My way to edit is to honor members’ contri- easier for test takers by encouraging them to bring a bution first. If there are still places to fill, I will do it. So, I had to let you wait for the last two months. Hope you have fun doing friend with them when they test. And, we'll let their the four-part isometric, aerobic exercise, stretch and relaxation. friend test for free! For any test given between July 1 I could add a little to each of the four parts every month and start and July 31, we'll administer another test (given at the an exercise column but I am not going to do that. Instead, as all same session) at no charge. Local groups will receive intelligent readers would expect, I will simply state the principle and you do the extension, if you have not done that already. We'll be announcing the promotion to the public begin- In the forties and fifties, there was the new thing called “do- it-yourself”. After years of hiring others to do things people dis- covered they could actually fix broken chairs or tables and, for Please note, some people may have "$5 off" coupons the advanced “doers-it-selves”, could do some plumbing or car- from the Spring Doubleheader promotion. Only 1 dis- pentry. People might be driven to places by a chauffeur but would fix a leak in the kitchen sink. We less spoiled people in count may be used at a time, so they may not bring a poor places (that was before the term “third world” was invented) friend for free and use their $5 off coupon together. thought that was what we did anyway and had to laugh. Well, The "Bring-A-Friend" discount applies to those pros- people in Taiwan were somewhat influenced. Exercise equip- pects who bring another test-taker to the test session ment was the in thing and it was expensive. One man became rather famous by running a radio program, teaching people how to build muscle without equipment (I would call it pumping iron without iron). The iso- metric part I told you about was taken from that. The principle is to work one muscle against another or against gravity and work on as many muscles as you can think of. People with high IQ like you do not need anyone to tell you what the next exercise is. You would enjoy figuring it out yourself. I also took the spirit of what the “Canadian Air Force” de- signed for those office bound service people. One starts on an easy program and advances to harder levels. The interesting point is that it takes only ten minutes every day and that it cen- ters on only a few exercises such as sit-up, push up, etc. but making them harder (say, from half push up to pushing up so 1 Coca leaf extract, also the source of cocaine. fast you can hit your chest in midair). So make what you do 2 Lithium, used to treat manic-depression (now harder and more challenging with the advance of time. Buddhists, Taoists, Martial Artists, Qi-Kong practitioners … all start from breathing exercise. Some people say, “That is like 3 The popularity of Coke was hurting the sales of meditation. It is some foreign religion and we hot blooded Chris- tian Americans don’t do that kind of thing.” Well, Buddhists go 4 Using high-fructose corn syrup as sweetener in- to the bathroom. Do we not do it? Hindis breathe. Do we not do it? Breathe smoothly while clearing the mind; relaxing the muscles; helps the whole body cleanse itself. It benefits no mat- ter if it is for a Buddhist, a Christian, a Martial artist or a swim-mer and it is the best for a thinker like you.

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